Stiffening truss



June 6, 1939. J. P. coRDovA STIFFENING TRUSS Filed April 25, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 6, 1939. p CORDOVA 2,161,337

STIFFENING TRUSS Filed April 25, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTOR N EYS Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED ES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to stiftening trusses and more particularly to supporting -beam trusses for floor spans and the like..

The invention has for its principal object to improve generally upon fbeam structures by minimizing the weight'and at thesame time more effectively providing increased :resistance rto vertical stresses as wells-,as torsional strains.

A further `object is to provide-for a `practical and highly effective utilization of V'tension and binding cables in connection with the structural body elements Aof the beam wherebyto not only secure characteristic rtrussing qualities in the assembled structure but to make it easy to transport the several fpartsaand facilitate assembly thereof.' y

Another important object of ithe Ainvention is to provide for apractical utilization of structural steel elements in pairs in the structure so as -to more effectively overcome :torsional stresses.

With the foregoing andA other objects `and Yadvantages to be attained, Vas willfhereinafter more fully appear, the inventionfconsists in the/general assembly and in 'the parts. and combinations and arrangementsvof parts thereof, vas hereinafter described and 7pointed out withparticularity in the appended claims, reference 'fbeing had to the accompanying "drawings illustrating a practical adaptation' of the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a' side elevation villustrating an adaptationA of the invention to 'a :oor :supporting beam assembly;

Figure 2 is a top-,plan view;

.Figure 3 is across'sectional andend'elevational view;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing details ofthe cable endfattachment. andrassociated cablesupporting sheave; and

Figure -5 is a fragmentarysectional viewillustrating the mounting `for fthe cable supporting sheave which is associated with'the vstrut element of the beam.

Referring :now to :the fdrawings, wherein a'supporting :beam vassemblyzfor :a .oor :spankis illustrated, the numeral :l0 fdesignatesfgenerally the `longitudinal supporting #beams and fthe numeral I I the transverse `floor beams, the assembly as illustrated being that of a ltbridge :structure and supported 4-by Vertical, rods I2.

As shown, each longitudinal supporting .beam I0 comprises an .upper chord including apair of I-shaped structural steel membersl3 vwhich are spacedisome distance apart.and.a.lower Achord including fa like pair :of k,Lshaped Imembers A-I4.

The transverse floor beams II each includes a l chord members I3 and I4 of the longitudinal beams and may be fastened thereto in any'desirable manner, by a welding process or otherwise.

Extending across the top of the upper 1ongi tudinal beam members I3, and secured thereto, preferably by welding, are transverse tie members I6 which, as shown, are of generally square cross section but are formed with cylindrical Vend portions I1 which project some distance 'outwardly beyond either side of the beam members I3.

In the illustration in the drawings, which is for 'an adaptation 'of the invention to a multiplicity of adjoining floor spans, said cross tie members I6 are arranged in pairs, there being one of the members on each side of the transverse floor beams I I, whereas, in the case of a single floor span there may be only one of said cross members correlated to each transverse floor'beams II and that the single cross member being located vat the outer side of the transverse floor beam. In either case, corresponding cross tie members I6 are located on the underside of the lower chord members I4 of the longitudinal supporting beam.

At two points between the transverse floor beams -I I of each panel, strut members I8 are inserted 'between the upper and lower chord members I3 and I4 of the longitudinal supporting beam and, directly above Yeach strut member I8, cross tie members I9, similar to the cross tie -members I6, are secured on the upper side of the upper longitudinal beam members I3, while sim- 4ilar cross members are provided on the under side of the lower longitudinal beam members I4, said members I9 having cylindrical end portions 20.

The trussing of the structure in accordance with the present invention will now be described. Generally stated, the trussing means includes opposed flexible tension elements which operate -to effectively tie the structural beam parts together as well as resist strains thereon.

,For trussing the longitudinal beam against downward deflection between the beam supporting rods I2, which latter, as shown, have plates I-2 rattached to their lower ends and on which .the lower chord members I4 of the beam rest, a .pairfof ycablesections 2I having socket members 22fat their outerends are attached to the cylindrical end portions I I of the cross tie member I 6 which is located on the under side of the lower chord members I4 of the longitudinal beam, said cable sections 2| being carried up over sheaves 23 on vthe ends I'I of the upper cross member I6 directly above the lower cross member I6' to which the ends of the cable sections are attached and thence downwardly under sheaves 24 located on the ends 2l) of the lowerv over sheaves 23 and thence under sheaves 24 corresponding to the sheaves 23 and 24, the ends of the cable sections 2| being provided with turnbuckle elements 25 and 26 corresponding to the elements 25 and 26 of the other cable elements to which they are joined by the screw element 21.

By tightening the turnbuckles between the complemental cable sections 2I and 2 I on each side of the longitudinal beam, the joined cable sections are drawn taut and placed under tension, thereby binding the transverse oor beam members I between the upper and lower chord members I3 and I4 of said longitudinal supporting beam and exerting a force upwardly upon the chord members I3 and I4 in the region where the strut members I8 are provided and beneath which the lower cross members I9 are located.

To resist upward deflection of the longitudinal supporting beams, an inverse arrangement of cable sections 28, similar to the cable sections 2I is provided in connection with cable sections 28 corresponding to the cable sections 2 I said cable sections 28 being carried downwardly from their end socket members 29 which are mounted on the ends I'I of the upper cross member I6, thence under sheaves 30 on the lower cross member I6 and upwardly over sheaves 3I on the upper cross member I 9, while the complemental cable sections 28 are carried downwardly from their socket members 29 on the corresponding cross member I6 adjacent the opposite iloor beam II, thence under sheaves 30' and up over sheaves 3| where they are joined to the cable sections 28 by turnbuckles, designated generally by the numeral 32, comprising the same elements as the hereinbefore turnbuckles by which the cable sections 2| and 2I' are connected.

By tightening the opposed upper and lower cable sections aY substantial stiffening truss is provided for the longitudinal supporting beam which is readily adjusted by manipulation oi the respective turnbuckles so that, by the relative arrangement and location of the transverse floor beams II and the strut members I8 and the particular correlation of the respective cross tie members I6, I6 and I9, not only is a substantial trussing eilect obtained, but there is produced a binding eiect of the longitudinal beam members y I3 and I4 upon the interposed floor beam members I5 and strut members I8 whereby the stability of the structure is materially increased and the fastening means between said parts is relieved of considerable strain thereon and thereby making it possible to materially simplify the means of fastening at those particular points. So, too, in accordance with the trussing system of the present invention by the utilization of cables as the tension elements in connection with the laterally spaced pairs of upper and lower chord members for the beam, the weight of the structure is materially reduced and at the same time torsional strains are more effectively resisted. Furthermore, the structure is not only economically produced but the several parts are easily transported for assembly at the place of use, as well as fabricated at the factory and transported in the assembled condition.

Obviously, the structure admits of considerable modification within the spirit of the invention as dened by the appended claims. The invention, therefore, is not limited to the specic construction and arrangements shown in the accompanying drawings.

What is claimed is:

1. In a trussed beam, an upper longitudinal beam member and a spaced lower longitudinal beam member, strut-like means interposed between the opposite end portions of said spaced beam members, an opposed spaced pair of strut elements between said beam members intermediate said end strut-like means, ilexible tension means comprising complemental cable seotions, each cable section being attached at its outer end to the end portion of one of said beam members adjacent the end strut-like means, said cable sections being carried from their attached end portions over opposed supports on the opposite beam member and thence over supports on the rst mentioned beam member adjacent the respective intermediate strut elements between said end strut-like means, turnbuckle means connecting the inner ends of said cable sections, and inversely arranged flexible tension means including an opposed like set and mounting of the cable elements,

2. In a trussed beam, a laterally spaced pair of upper longitudinal beam chord members and a spaced lower pair of correspondingly laterally spaced chord members, opposed transverse floor beam members having their end portions supported between adjacent portions of the upper and lower longitudinal beam chord members, an opposed pair of strut elements extending transversely between said upper and lower pairs of the beam chord members and intermediate said iloor beams, cross tie members attached to the upper sides of the upper beam chord members and respectively adjacent said floor beams and said strut elements, opposed correspondingly correlated cross tie members on the under side of the lower beam chord, a flexible tension element including complemental pairs of cable sections on opposite sides of the longitudinal beam, each cable section of a pair being attached at one end to a cross tie member on one of the longitudinal beam chord members and carried over a sheave on the cross tie member of the opposite beam chord member and thence over a sheave on the cross member on the rst mentioned beam chord in opposed relation to a companion strut member between the beam chords, the inner end portions of said complemental cable sections being connected by a turnbuckle, said pairs of complemental cable sections being inversely arranged in opposed sets whereby to stillen the beam structure and resist vertical stresses both upwardly and downwardly between the transverse floor beams.

3. In a trussed beam, an upper longitudinal beam member and a spaced lower longitudinal beam member, strut-like elements interposed between the end portions of said longitudinal beam members, strut means located between said longitudinal beam members intermediate said strutlike end elements, and a flexible tension element attached at its opposite ends to one of -said longitudinal beam members adjacent said strut-like end elements, said flexible tension element being carried over a support on the opposite longitudinal beam member and having its intermediate portion looped reentrantly over a support on the first mentioned longitudinal beam member in correlation to the intermediate 'strut means between said longitudinal members.

4. In a trussed beam, an upper longitudinal beam member and a spaced lower longitudinal beam member, strut-like elements interposed between the end portions of said longitudinal beam members, an opposed spaced pair of strut elements between said longitudinal beam members intermediate said end strut-like elements, flexible tension means comprising complemental cable sections, each cable section being attached at its outer end to the end portion of one of said longitudina! beam members adjacent an end strutlike eiement, said cable sections being carried from their attached end portions over opposed supports on the opposite longitudinal beam member and thence reentrantly over supports on the first mentioned longitudinal beam member adjacent the respective intermediate strut elements between said end strut-like elements, and turnbuckle means connecting the inner ends of said cable sections.

JOAQUIN PEDRERO CORDOVA. 

